MISSION — Sharyland High dominated its Region IV-5A bi-district playoff matchup against Brownsville Veterans from start to finish for a 4-0 victory on Thursday at Sharyland High School.
The District 31-5A co-champion Rattlers advance to the area round to face the winner of Corpus Christi Veterans and Laredo Nixon.
“Coming into the game, we knew it was going to be a tough game. Any team that makes the playoffs, hats off,” Sharyland High head coach Jorge Guerra said. “We stuck to our game plan, moved the ball quick and things went our way.”
Sharyland senior Kevin Zepeda recorded a hat trick with one goal in the first half and a pair within five minutes of each other in the second half to lead the Rattlers.
Sharyland’s Alan Guerrero delivered two first-half assists with crossers that were finished by Zepeda for goal No. 1 and Juan Pablo Trevino for No. 2 for a 2-0 lead at the break.
Zepeda and the Rattlers’ attack kept the pressure on the Chargers during the second half.
Zepeda torched the defense down the left sideline and sent a floater over the Brownsville Veterans goalie and into the back of the net for a 3-0 advantage. Then, Treviño and Zepeda played a two-man game to near perfection to leave the latter wide open for the hat trick in the 60th minute.
“It’s the teamwork,” Guerra said. “We know (Kevin) is a great player, and we have great players around him. He’s a very skilled player, left and right, he can do it all.
Sharyland will go back to work in preparation for its area-round test against either Corpus Christi Veterans or Laredo Nixon. Game details are to be determined.
“This gives us that confidence that we’re doing something right, and we just have to keep building on what we’re practicing,” Guerra said.